Customer:
The board I received is missing the MCP23017 component, with a stated reason of component shortage. The Crowd Supply product page made no mention of this limitation, which seems deceptive. What options do I have to resolve this?
Originally submitted via email support on 12 January 2023. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Soldered Support:
The decision to remove one MCP23017 from the boards was made when the price of those ICs increased dramatically. At those prices, we would lose money on every unit sold, so we looked for a compromise. The boards were manufactured before MCP23017 became available again and were held in stock by our distributor. We contacted Crowd Supply to add a notice to the product page.
Customer:
I understand the situation better now. I’m interested in an Inkplate 2. Most importantly, I need to know if the MCP23017 is the only missing component, and whether I can reflow it myself on the PCB - are there no missing resistors or capacitors? Also, can you confirm that MCP23017E-SS is the correct part number that matches the PCB footprint?
Soldered Support:
Yes, MCP23017E-SS is the correct part number: mcp23017-e/ss¤cy=USD | Octopart That is the only missing part and you should be able to solder it with hot air of some kind.